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The recent 2023 Taiwan–US Defense Industry Forum “is opening the door to the devil”, according to comments made by the People’s Republic of China.
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The US-Taiwan Business Council and Taiwan External Trade Development Council event was held at the Taipei International Convention Center on 3 May.
During the event, US and Taiwan companies gathered to discuss challenges in the defence industry supply chain cooperation, partnerships between US and Taiwan defence companies to support national security needs, and how to integrate Taiwan’s industrial capabilities into the international defence supply chain.
Discussions also included the latest developments in Taiwan’s defence industry, opportunities for co-production, and obstacles to Taiwan businesses acting as reliable suppliers to American contractors.
The conference was reportedly attended by a group of at least 25 representatives from United States defence contractors and former US Marine Corps senior leader (Ret’d) Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, who was previously responsible for US Marines operations in the Pacific.
China’s Ministry of National Defense spokesperson, Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, said that Taiwan is purely a PRC internal affair, and US arms sales or military contact should cease with the island.
“We strongly urge the US side to fully recognise the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question as well as the complexity and severity of the current situation across the Taiwan Strait,” said Senior Colonel Tan at a regular press conference.
“These American military-industrial complexes have always been zealous to peddle munitions, trigger conflicts and chaos, and reap staggering profits around the world.
“The Chinese PLA troops will pay close attention to the situation across the Taiwan Strait as always, stay on high alert all the time.”
Speakers at the event include those from the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, US-Taiwan Business Council, Institute for National Defense and Security Research, GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology, Project 2049 Institute, Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, and Teledyne FLIR.
PRC Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said the US and Taiwan authorities have been stepping up military collusion lately.
“A delegation of 25 US arms dealers swarmed to the island and held with the DPP authorities the ‘defence forum’,” she said at a regular press conference on 5 May.
“It’s further proof that the US is turning Taiwan into a “powder keg”, which only spells trouble for our Taiwan compatriots.
“We once again urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, stop arms sales to and military contact with Taiwan, and stop creating factors that could cause tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
“Any external forces that interfere in China’s internal affairs and undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait shall bear the consequences and pay for their erroneous acts.”
Spokesperson Mao said the PRC encourages Taiwan residents to call for support of cross-Strait peace and protest these forums or enlistment.
“As the ‘forum’ was being held, people from all walks of life gathered nearby to protest the warmongers peddling conflict, oppose those soliciting US support for independence and opening the door to the devil,” she said.
“(The PRC) call on young people in Taiwan to refuse to be enlisted and voice support for one China on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The DPP authorities need to hear these voices and immediately stop trading our Taiwan compatriots’ fundamental interests for selfish gains.”
Earlier this year, the PRC imposed trade and investment sanctions on two major defence primes, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, after they were added to an “unreliable entities list” by the PRC Ministry of Commerce.
According to the US House Select Committee on China, there is a foreign military sale backlog of nearly US$19 billion that have been approved but not delivered to Taiwan. These sales include F-16 fighter jets, anti-ship missiles, HIMARS artillery, and man-portable missile launchers.
